Tag: missing dad

My Dad’s Smile, I Get It Now

Rhiza1 Comment

Remembering the life of a great man, pastor, husband, friend, Dad.

Daddy

It’s been 7 years since Dad passed away but every year I still learn something new about him. This year, I learned how much he loved me.

Oh sure I know he loved me and my brothers so much, no doubt about it. But this year I gained a better understanding of how great that love is. I wish I knew sooner, but I needed to be a parent first to understand.

Look at THAT SMILE! That smile on his face when he held me for the first time. Or when he carried me (and my balloon!) on my birthday. Or when I sat on his lap looking like a cranky bumble bee. He had that smile on like he couldn’t contain his joy.

That smile speaks volumes, and I get it now. It was the smile of a father who loved her daughter so much, who was crazy about her and would do everything for her.

I know now because I have that same smile on my face when I hold Dawn or Rain in my arms. And I see my husband smile that way too.

I love our daughters so much it makes me tear up. I watch them sleep at night and it’s like my heart is going to burst with so much joy. I’ll do anything for them, sacrifice my life for them, protect them, and be the best Mom I can be for them.

And I realize now that sometime 30 years ago, Dad felt exactly the same way about the baby girl who was growing before his eyes.

Thank you, Daddy, for loving me that much. I didn’t understand it then, but I get it now.

The great surprise inheritance from Lolo Bob

Rhiza2 Comments

Earlier this year, when we found out we were pregnant with twins, we thought that it was a miracle because we didn’t have twins in both our lineage. Although being able to conceive twins (however way they were conceived) is still as miraculous as it can get, we realized later on in our pregnancy that twins actually run in the family.

Specifically, in my Dad’s side of the family.

Apparently, we have a couple of distant relatives in my father’s side who have twins.

I’ve always been thankful to have inherited my Dad’s genes, but now I realize that these chubby, choleric genes I carry are actually twin-bearing genes too! Thanks, Dad!

I wish Dawn & Rain could have met their Lolo Bob, the genetic reason why there’s two of them. But I’m glad that death couldn’t get in the way of them knowing him. Someday we’ll tell them stories about their Lolo and they’ll know that they’re part of a line of brilliant, charming, twin-bearing, Jesus-loving people.

Happy  birthday, Daddy/Lolo! We love you.